The best way to approach this task is to have your chosen text in mind and to include a plot segmentation as
an appendix to your essay. Bear in mind that you can use visual texts released up to 2004.

It can be helpful to review the terms and concepts from the course in relation to your chosen text. The
challenging nature of this assessment ensures that there is no substitute for doing your coursework beforehand.

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The following suggestions might assist you in preparing your assignment:

It is useful to break your essay down into subheadings like 'Introduction', 'Narrative or Documentary Form and
Dynamic', 'Aspect of Narrative or Documentary Form and Effects' and 'Aspect of Characterisation and Effects'.

You will write approximately 100 words for your introduction and 800 words per section
for the rest of your essay.

No 'Conclusion' is required per se but you can indicate the intended outcome/s of your chosen aspects in your
introduction.

Introduction (100 words)

Here you will introduce your task, indicate your plan/approach and what your intended outcomes might be. You can also think
of this section as re-stating the assessment criteria in terms of how it applies to your chosen film/doco.

Simply put, this might take the line of indicating which text you will be discussing, the aspects of narrative/doco and
characterisation and the effects they produce. Your intended outcome might be a brief statement on how these aspects
work in concert to produce a coherent narrative.

Overall Form and Dynamic (800 words)

Here you will talk about your chosen text in relation to the features of its form (a fictional narrative or a documentary).
Refer to your copy of Bordwell & Thompson for the appropriate chapters on narrative and non-narrative form as well as
your dossier readings to refresh your memory. Again, it is often a good idea to do a plot segmentation before discussing the
dynamic of your chosen text. That way you can discuss the dynamic of your narrative/doco in relation to the
paradigmatic/syntagmatic structure of events. Your Study Guide and Dossier Readings from Block 2 are particulary
useful to this section, as is your glossary. A useful reference for understanding paradigms and syntagms
can be found at http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem03.html

Aspect of Form and Effects (800 words)

Here you will isolate an aspect of your chosen text's form and discuss its effects just as you would have indicated in
your introduction. Only one aspect should be discussed so that you can discuss it in detail (pages
36-43 of your Study Guide are a basic but useful guide here).

Aspect of Characterisation (800 words)

Here you will isolate an aspect of characterisation present in your chosen text and discuss its effects just as you would
have indicated in your introduction. Review your coursework on characterisation, particulary the Rimmon-Kenan
and Propp readings, in relation to your chosen text for ideas about which aspect might be the most fruitful
in discussion. Only one aspect should be discussed so that you can discuss it in detail as it applies
to the characterisation in your text.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to be any more specific than this and the 'generic' nature of these tips should be an indication
of how flexible the application of the terms and concepts of this course can be.

Remember: There is no substitute for doing your coursework and readings

Don't forget that the CMM17 Discussion Board is a useful place to find information (see 'Resources and Links' page)
and if you are still facing difficulties or have any useful suggestions you'd like to share with other students, email
me with your query at K.Liley@griffith.edu.au

Study hard Y'all

This site is designed for Kate Liley's students of CMM17: Film, Media & Culture
through Open Learning Australia. This site does not carry nor seek endorsement from
OLA or Griffith University.

This site is intended for the purposes of addressing common student queries about their assignments.

If you cannot find an answer to your particular question, email me direct at K.Liley@griffith.edu.au